Love Doesn't Have A Number
by NCISVILLE
Summary: For Dreameater1988's whouffaldi fic challenge #2. The Doctor and Clara have to pretend to be married. Clara is down so The Doctor decides to try and cheer her up. What better way than to take Clara to see Pride and Prejudice on Broadway and then go for some pizza afterwards. But things do not go as planned and rather than a theater they wind up in the hospital.


**Love Doesn't Have a Number**

"Clara!" The Doctor chirped happily upon seeing her.

"Oh. Hi Doctor." She replied turning her head to look at him from over her shoulder. Clara turned back to the telly and changed the channel again until settling on Top Gear.

"Clara?" He asked concerned walking over to her. "What's happened? Why are you so down?"

"Reasons." She answered vaguely. He sat down on the couch beside her and took the remote from her hand turning the telly off. "Hey! I was watching that." She protested, half-heartedly reaching for the remote.

"What's wrong Clara?" The Doctor asked again keeping the remote out of reach. She sighed and looked at the black screen.

"My friend got engaged today."

"And that makes you sad?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He could never understand humans contradictory emotions.

"Another of my friends is getting married, one just had a baby, and now yet another is on their way to being married and I'm…" She stopped and huffed getting up from the seat. "Never mind. Forget I said something."

"Clara, there's nothing wrong with being single."

"Except for the fact that the only person I'm even remotely interested in is- " She stopped abruptly and looked at him with what he perceived to be fear.

"Is who?" He asked trying to squelch the jealousy raging within at the prospect of another man in the picture.

"No. No. No. I'm not…we're not having this conversation. Not today."

"Is he someone you work with?"

"Drop it Doctor. I shouldn't have said anything." He opened his mouth as if to say something but closed it again, eyebrows furrowed together and lips pursed.

There was a war waging within him at whether he should finally say something, tell her how he felt but he was a coward and so he did as she asked and dropped it.

They both were silent for a minute until the Doctor jumped up from the couch with his usual levels of excitement and said, "How about we go to New York. Pride and Prejudice is being shown on Broadway and we can grab some pizza before we go."

For the first time since he arrived Clara smiled and said, "Really? Pride and Prejudice on Broadway?!"

"With the psychic paper I'm sure we can get backstage and meet the cast too."

"Oh my God, are you serious?"

"Of course! I reckon you need some cheering up and what better way than seeing your favorite book on Broadway?" He said with a smile of his own at seeing Clara now happy.

She squealed and ran over to him crushing him in a hug. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!" She kissed his cheek impulsively, before dashing off to the TARDIS wardrobe.

The Doctor remained standing in the living room of her flat stunned, his cheek burning from her lips. He brought a hand up to his cheek gingerly and closed his eyes memorizing the feel of her soft, warm lips on his skin. He took a moment to compose himself before walking into the TARDIS to change as well. He knew Clara would go all out and so he wanted to make sure he was wearing a suit to match her attire.

He could hear Clara bouncing around the wardrobe humming to herself a song he didn't know. He traded his plaid trousers and hoodie for a nice black suit with a waistcoat to add a little extra since he refused to put anything around his neck. He waited in the control room for Clara and as he did so he thought back to their conversation that she refused to finish. Who held her affections and did the new bloke even deserve them? Oh how he longed to be the recipient of her affection, but he wasn't who she liked anymore. He'd changed and they were just friends now, best friends, but he wished for more. Dreamed about it even. She said all her friends were getting married and that sparked to mind his own feelings about the subject. He'd dreamed about putting a ring on her finger, making her completely his, marrying her to show the universe that it could not take away his joy. But alas…that's all it would ever be, a dream.

He hadn't realized he was frowning until Clara suddenly spoke up, startling him from her sudden presence.

"Why are you sad Doctor?" She asked and finally he looked at her and his breath was stolen for a moment. His Clara was so beautiful and the gown she'd chosen to wear…it was fit for a queen. It was gold, glittery, and hugged her the outline of her body from the shoulders to the hip. There was a slit on the right side all the way down the dress and flowed as she walked closer to him. It was elegant, backless, and adorned with sequins across the shoulders down to the elbow and top of the breasts. It was long sleeved with the sleeves transparent and more sequins along the cuffs of the sleeve. Her hair was up in a bun, lips cherry red, with crystals hanging from her ears. She was wearing heels that matched the dress and put her just inches below him to where her eyes now were even with his chin. She was stunning and if he tilted his head down just a little he'd be able to kiss her.

He mentally chided himself and struggled to focus on what she'd said to him. She'd said something. And it seemed important for him to answer, but how could he when an angel was standing in front of him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her.

"Doctor?" She asked, lips pulled in a frown.

She managed to shake him from his thoughts and he stared at her blankly for a moment before replying, "What?"

"You're staring. Is something wrong?"

"What? No. I um…you look…nice."

She grinned and rolled her eyes. "You have no idea whether or not I look nice, but thank you for the attempt to make me feel good."

He regretted ever joking about that now. She didn't even believe him when he tried to compliment her without spilling his secret passion for that burned like an all consuming fire. How could she possibly believe that he didn't notice what she wore? He noticed every little detail about her. He had no one but himself to blame for it. He had played the fool when it came to her appearance and now how could he fault her for brushing him off.

"Are you okay? You seemed sad when I walked in."

"Oh I'm fine. Now! Are you ready to go see your first Broadway show?" He put on the mask and kicked himself into gear and as soon as he did, she reflected his change in mood.

She was all smiles and when she wasn't looking he had the TARDIS take her photo. This was something he never wanted to forget, not that he thought he'd ever be able to, not with the way she was smiling at him. They landed and for a moment Clara stood still and met his eyes, waiting for confirmation that they were indeed in New York. Her smile widened and she dashed to the doors, throwing them open. A giggle escaped her mouth when she saw the theater right across the street.

She ran back inside and threw her arms around him saying repeatedly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you.", until he couldn't bear it anymore.

"Stop thanking me. We haven't even seen the show yet or had dinner. This whole evening could go pear shaped and you'd have thanked me for a terrible night. Wait until it's over."

"Don't be so pessimistic Doctor. We're in New York to see my favorite book as a musical and have pizza you can't get anywhere else. It can't possibly go wrong, not since you're the one I'm here with." She met his eyes for a long moment and there was a look there that he couldn't quite decipher, but her eyes were shining. She was right about one thing though...just so long as he was with her he'd be okay. "Now, come on! I've been dying to see this!" Clara was all smiles as she grabbed his hand and tugged him out of the TARDIS.

He couldn't help but smile and chuckle and he savored the contact she permitted him. All too soon it ended but she then put her arm in his and held onto him as one would a date. As they were walking across the street Clara suddenly stopped and gasped, clutching her stomach, and gripping his arm tightly.

"Clara?" He asked turning to look at her.

"Something's wrong." She said, fear overtaking her eyes as she looked at him. She squeezed her eyes shut and groaned in pain, holding her stomach tighter. Tears began to flow from her eyes and as he looked down at her stomach he noticed blood trailing down her leg.

"Clara you're bleeding!" He exclaimed beginning to panic.

"Something's wrong." She said again, holding onto him with both arms now, tears coloring her face.

The Doctor looked around frantically and became upset at all the people just walking by them as his Clara suffered. He noticed a cab and whistled loudly before yelling, "TAXI!"

The nearest one came driving up and stopped a few feet from them. Not waiting to ask if she could walk, the Doctor scooped her up and opened the door and put her in first before getting in himself.

"Where to?" The cabbie asked.

"We need the Hospital now! It's an emergency! I don't care what you have to do but we need to get there as soon as possible."

"The nearest hospital is 15 minutes away with traffic."

"Make it nine and I'll pay you two hundred."

"Yes Sir." The cabbie replied with a grin. "You're going to want to hang on." With a jolt they were off and the only thing the Doctor cared about was Clara.

"What's going on Clara? Tell me what's happening."

"Don't know. So much pain. My abdomen. It hurts, it hurts. Feels like someone is stabbing me." She replied eyes closed, unable to look at him, moaning from the pain. He held her and adjusted her body so her head was lying in his lap. He mentally chided himself for leaving his sonic specs in the TARDIS. He would be able to see what was wrong with her if he had them. Instead she was writhing in pain, blood streaming down her legs, tears flowing down her face and neck, and he was completely useless. He was helpless.

"Stay with me Clara, keep talking."

"Doctor?" Clara asked, eyes fluttering open to meet his grief-stricken eyes.

"What is it my Clara?" He replied stroking her hair in an attempt to ground himself.

"I…I think I'm going to pass out." She said, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she looked at his face before another wave of pain hit and she cried out, more tears flowing.

"No, no! No, Clara, don't do that. Stay awake. We're almost there." He replied as they were jostled by a sharp turn.

"So much pain…head feels woozy."

"You're losing a lot of blood." He croaked, stroking her face again. "Please stay with me Clara. I can't lose you." He whispered, a few tears falling onto Clara's face.

She struggled to meet his eyes one last time before her eyes rolled to the back of her head. "No! No! Clara! Clara wake up!" He shouted, shaking her shoulders.

"Just a few more minutes buddy. Hang in there." The cab driver said through the glass separating them.

"Don't die Clara, please don't die. I can't lose you. Can't…can't lose you." He cried, his chest beginning to constrict from the pain, his own breath becoming short.

Time seemed to slow down as he waited for them to arrive at the Hospital and when they did, they arrived with the tires screeching to a halt. He threw the cash at the cab driver and quickly got out picking Clara up and running with her through the sliding doors marked 'Emergency'.

"I need help! Someone help!" He yelled as he ran in. Immediately two nurses from the desk came over to him and began to talk and ask questions. "She started complaining about sharp stabbing pain in her abdomen and she's been bleeding and it hasn't stopped for the last fifteen minutes and she passed out from the blood loss I believe." He told them, stumbling over his words as his brain told him to stop panicking.

"Get her on a gurney and get her to the back now!" One of the nurses ordered. The Doctor set her down on the bed and watched as they began to wheel her back. He made move to follow after them but was quickly stopped.

"I need to go back there with her!" He protested trying to break past the nurses who'd stopped him.

"I'm sorry Sir, but only family is allowed back there."

"Let me back!" The Doctor cried fighting against the nurses. When they tried to tell him once more that only immediate family was permitted he cried out, "She's my wife!"

"Don't make us call security Sir."

"She's my wife! Clara is my wife!" He withdrew the psychic paper and showed it to the main nurse preventing him from being with Clara. He watched recognition flash past his eyes and in the next moment he was being allowed into the back. He ran back trying to find Clara and spotted her just as a corner was being turned. He ran even faster not caring about etiquette. All he cared about was Clara.

Time seemed to blend together with all the tests, paperwork, and questions until finally he was in a room alone, with her asleep in a hospital bed, and a doctor speaking to him about what was happening.

"She's had an ovarian cyst burst. Unfortunately, she's had a rather complex one and due to the internal hemorrhaging and the potential for her situation to get even worse we need to operate and remove one of her ovaries. The-"

"What?" He interrupted, taken aback. "Remove her ovary?"

"Yes. She's not getting better and we can't take a chance with the internal hemorrhaging affecting the other organs as well as the high risk of infection and this happening again at this magnitude and killing her. She'll still have the one and due to how young she is, you'll still be able to have children but it's going to be much harder to do so."

"I…children?" He asked, taken aback by the turn in conversation.

"She is reaching the point where within the next couple years she'll start to lose a majority of her eggs and now that she'll have one less ovary, if you were both waiting to have kids I would recommend not putting that next chapter of your life on hold."

The Doctor was silent and stared at Clara, trying not to cry and trying to breathe. He didn't even know if she wanted to have kids of her own someday but when she woke up he'd have to tell her that her chances of having a kid were just cut in half. He felt as though he'd been punched in the gut and his heart constricted even tighter, lungs heaving to breathe.

"The good news however is that after surgery she will finally be stable and on the fast track to heading home in just a couple days. One of the nurses will be in shortly to administer the anesthesia and then she'll be taken in for surgery. The surgery itself isn't very complicated and there's no reason to be worried. Your wife is in safe hands Mr. Oswald."

The Doctor just swallowed and nodded. "Can…can I have a minute alone with her please?"

"Of course."

When he was alone he stood up from his chair on shaky knees and picked up Clara's hand, holding it in his own. He pushed back a strand of her hair with the other hand and stroked her cheek with his thumb. His eyes began to water again and he laid his forehead on Clara's, allowing the tears to fall.

"Please wake up Clara. I'm going mental without the sound of your voice. I need you. Wake up." He whispered. Needing to draw strength from her he put his finger on her temple and opened a psychic link. She was dreaming. He was about to input himself into her dream when he watched himself make an appearance.

His dream persona was in the TARDIS kitchen making eggs wearing only a jockstrap. His breath hitched and he watched Clara kiss him hungrily and whisper 'I love you' into his ear. He broke the link and took a few steps back staring at Clara, eyes wide in disbelief. He didn't know what to make of what he'd just seen. Dreams were linked with the subconscious which meant Clara thought of him in the way he often thought of her. He stumbled back into his chair, staring at Clara unable to cope with her dream. Did she really want him? Was he the one she was hinting at earlier? Was that why she didn't want to talk about it? Because she didn't want to confess how she really felt? Did she think he wasn't interested? Was she afraid?

A moment later the nurse came in to prep Clara for surgery and not long after she was taken from him and he was forced to wait long agonizing hours without being able to see her. It was going on three in the morning and he needed caffeine. He headed to the Starbucks that one of the nurses said was open 24/7 in the food court. It was nearing five am when Clara was moved from recovery into a room and he was exhausted. The doctors all said that the surgery went smoothly and she was finally stable and out of the woods. Now she was on the road to recovery and would wake up in a few more hours once the anesthesia finally wore off. There was a small fight to let him stay in the room with her as once again it was said only family was permitted.

He was too tired to even realize the truth of his words when he replied, "That woman in there is my everything. My friend, my heart, my wife."

Everyone but one nurse was skeptical and she let him in with a sad smile and an apology for her co-workers. He returned the small smile but all he wanted was to just curl up beside Clara, hold her in his arms and sleep, feel her stable heart beating against his two aching ones. He left to go get another coffee, not wanting to be asleep when she finally woke. He got one for the kind nurse as well and then went to Clara's side. There was no room on the bed for him, much to his chagrin and so he sat in one of the offered chairs that had no comfort and little support. He held her hand in his and stroked it ever so softly, avoiding the IV's that were keeping her hydrated and comfortable. His eyes were baggy and black, his suit jacket had been taken off, cuffs and top two on his wrinkled shirt unbuttoned, and the exhaustion had begun to seep into his bones.

"I was so worried Clara. I thought my own hearts were going to go in cardiac arrest. I was so sure I was losing you and I very well could have. They said I nearly did." His voice was distant and stricken with pain. "I think I would have died if you did Clara…I…I can't imagine my life without you anymore. I don't know when you came in and became the center of my world, but you are now. You've made yourself essential to me, I couldn't breathe at the mere thought of losing you," he huffed out a laugh and cracked a small smile as he continued, "You'd call me a daft old man surely, you'd tell me everyone loses someone eventually. But I can't…lose you that is. I won't. I need you Clara Oswald. I need you to live, to breathe, to walk."

There was a clatter behind him and it shook him from his confession and he jumped with a start, ready to protect Clara.

"Sorry." The nurse apologized. "I didn't mean to interrupt or spy on you. I just came to check on her vitals."

The Doctor cleared his throat and stood, pushing the chair back to allow the nurse room to work. "It's fine."

"How long have you been married?" She asked as she checked Clara's heartrate and wrote it down. 

"Seems like just yesterday we got married." He replied. Not technically a lie.

The woman smiled at him and said, "That's so sweet. My name is Debbie, by the way."

"John. John Oswald." He returned, holding out his hand for her to shake.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Oswald. So, you took her last name? Don't hear too many stories of that happening."

The Doctor chuckled and grinned. "Well, if you knew her you'd understand. Besides…Clara Smith doesn't have nearly as good a ring to it as Oswald, and I didn't mind the change." He shrugged.

Debbie smiled and continued on with her work. "Are you sure you don't want to try and rest?"

"Not unless you can figure out a way that I can be on the bed with her. Bad back." He explained.

Debbie smiled in reply. "'Fraid not."

"That's what I figured." He said grimly releasing a sigh of defeat.

"Are you wanting up there to sleep properly…or because you need to hold her for reassurance and hear her heart beating for yourself?" She asked.

"That obvious?" He asked running a hand through the back of his hair, looking at the ground.

"That obvious." She confirmed, smiling broadly at him. "She'll be up soon dear." Debbie assured.

"I hope so." He cast his gaze back onto his beloved Clara and wished for her to wake up so he could embrace her properly.

When Debbie left he took up his post again and held Clara's hand. Hoping it would engage her brain, and she would wake up and talk to him, he began to converse again.

"I um…I got desperate earlier, I needed to hear you, feel you, so I opened a psychic link and I…I saw something. I don't understand what it means. If it means what I think it does, or if I just projected something onto your cortex…I don't know. I know what I want it to mean. I want it to be true. Dream you said to dream me that you loved me and I…I want that to be true. I know you made a promise to yourself out of guilt and shame, but I don't think he would have wanted that for you." He took a breath and closed his eyes, thumb worrying the unmarked skin of her hand. "I…I love you…Clara Oswald. I think I always have, even before I changed. But it's different now. Missy once said I'd go to hell if you asked and you would but she was wrong. I wouldn't go to hell for you. I'd go to the ends of the universe for you, I'd break it to stay with you, to keep you here by my side. I know you'd tell me I really wouldn't do that if it ultimately came to that, but you're wrong." He looked at her closed eyes and lightly squeezed her hand. "Please wake up Clara. I really need you right now. I need to hear your voice. I need your smile to give me strength. I'm so tired and I need your touch. I don't want to hide how I feel anymore, I can't. There's not enough time to keep lying to you or myself."

He stayed silent, watching over Clara, rubbing her hand for comfort and before long he fell asleep in the chair, holding her hand.

XxxxXXxxxXXxxxX

Clara woke up feeling fuzzy and confused. She had to blink a few times to see clearly then saw a nurse in front of her, smiling.

"Welcome to the land of the living. You've had quite the night."

"Where am I?" She rasped still trying to take in her surroundings but unable to fully grasp reality.

"You're at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, you had an ovarian cyst burst. You nearly died from the blood loss alone." The nurse answered passing Clara a cup of water to drink. She knocked it back in one gulp.

Clara's eyes widened as her brain finally processed the information and her attention was quickly drawn to find the source of what was making her hand so hot. She looked down and found another hand holding hers. She followed the arm up to the person and saw the Doctor asleep in a chair that looked much too uncomfortable for his back. There was tension etched on his face.

"You have a terrific husband. He hasn't left your side since he brought you in last night. I think he finally fell asleep a little over an hour ago."

"Husband?" Clara asked confused.

"He even bought me coffee. I have never seen a man look at his wife the way he looks at you. A lot of people had trouble believing you were married since you both aren't wearing rings, and they wouldn't let him in to see you until I saw the look in his eye, and how he looked at you through the glass and… I just knew."

Clara furrowed her eyebrows together. He had pretended to be her husband? Why? And why did her heart leap at that notion? But she pretended to go along with it. Her head was too fuzzy to explain the complicated truth. "That's my…husband… for you. He um didn't want us to wear the rings on our trip. Thought it might bring negative attention to us."

"Love is love dear. It doesn't have a number." The nurse said with a small smile as she went around looking at the machines Clara was connected to. "I'm going to go let your Doctor know you're awake."

"He's right here." Clara replied confused as to what the woman meant. Her Doctor…or husband apparently, was asleep beside her.

The nurse looked at her a little confused but decided it was the morphine in Clara's system making her say things that didn't quite make sense. "Doctor." Clara said trying to rouse him. She tried to squeeze his hand but it was weak and pitiful. "Doctor." she tried again. "Doctor!" She said a little louder. That seemed to have done the trick.

He jolted up and looked around frantically before his eyes landed on her. She was awake.

"Clara." He said breathlessly. "Clara!" He exclaimed, joy beginning to overtake his features. "Clara! My Clara! You're awake!" He laughed and went to wrap her in a hug when she yelped from the sudden movement of being pulled forward. "Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. So sorry." He apologized profusely, jumping away as though he'd been burned.

"It's okay." She tried to put him at ease but her pain contorted face did nothing to abate his distance.

"I'm sorry, I got carried away. I'm sorry."

"Doctor, it's okay. I'm okay, it just hurt initially." She tried to soothe him. "I'm so sleepy." She yawned and closed her eyes again.

"No!" He yelled, shocking her awake. "I-I-I need you to stay awake. Please, just-just a little while longer." He begged eyes flitting from her to the ground and back again.

She looked at him perplexed by his outburst. He must have realized she was confused because he explained his need for her to stay awake a moment later.

"I have some things I need to say."

"They can't wait till I've rested some more?" She yawned.

"No. Something could happen and I never get the chance."

"I'm not going anywhere Doctor."

"You almost did Clara. I almost…almost lost you." His voice cracked and she watched as his normal distanced demeanor broke and he began to cry. "You almost died. They had to remove one of your ovaries. You were on death's doorstep and I was lost. So lost. I thought I was the one dying, it felt that way inside."

"Doctor-"

"Clara please," he pleaded with his glossy, stormy-ocean eyes. "Let me finish." He cleared his throat and tried to fight off the tears but they continued to fall. "You almost died from something so mundane, not even the cause of one of our crazy adventures and it clicked some things into place for me. I…" He hesitated and looked down at the ground for a moment before holding her gaze, determined to say the words now when she was conscious. "I love you…Clara Oswald, with both my hearts. And not in the way friends love their best friend. I love you the way a husband loves their wife. I love everything about you and I need you to live. I can't breathe without you. I need you more than I need adventure." He finished sitting down in the chair beside her, holding her hand once again.

When he finished tears began to fall from her eyes and a laugh pushed itself from her lips. "I can't believe this. I have to be dreaming."

"I saw your dream, trust me…this is reality."

Clara's cheeks burned red when she recalled just what her dream had been. It'd been a very satisfying dream too and apparently he'd seen it. "Is that why you're saying something now?"

"No. I wasn't sure what to make of the dream."

"I tell you I love you and make love to you in my dream and you don't know what to make of that?"

He seemed to be a bit embarrassed and his other hand disappeared in his hair. "I um…didn't want to make assumptions. I thought maybe I might have been the one to accidentally project the image into your dream."

"No Doctor…that's all me and my fantasy."

"What if it didn't have to be?" He asked. "Fantasy I mean." He clarified.

"What do you mean?" Clara felt her cheeks getting a little hotter at the suggestion.

"I want a relationship with you Clara and maybe along the way I could make that dream…reality." He confessed making her blush.

"Well it would seem you already made yourself my husband." She said, this time making him blush.

"It was the only way for me to stay with you. They only let family go back."

"So naturally your first thought was to marry me." She teased as he looked down at the ground.

"Not the first time the thought has crossed my mind." He said peaking up from the ground to judge her reaction.

He listened to her breath hitch and at that moment the doctor came walking into the room with Debbie.

"Nice to see you up Mrs. Oswald, how are you feeling."

"Overwhelmed." She replied still looking at her Doctor.

"I'm going to go get some coffee and red bull. I'll be back." The Doctor said to Clara. "Would you like anything Debbie?"

"Oh, no thank you John, I'm good." The nurse replied with a kind smile.

The Doctor gave a polite smile in response and got up, slipping his hand out of Clara's. She needed time to digest everything and he felt ready to crash again.

"Not going to offer to get your wife anything…John?" Clara piped up just before he walked out the door.

"Something tells me the doc over here wouldn't permit you your daily cup of coffee at the moment."

"Absolutely not." The doctor confirmed.

"There you have it Clara." He said before leaving. He hadn't been able to really gauge Clara's reaction to his confession as they'd been interrupted not a second later.

When he came back a half hour later with his red bull coffee and what the Americans called a scone, Clara was still surprisingly awake. It seemed she was waiting for him to return.

"You're up." He stated, not really knowing what else to say.

"You're back." She replied. "See, I can state the obvious too."

He chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Back to normal then it seems, if not just a little hopped up on drugs."

"Shut up." Clara replied. "We have a conversation to finish."

"Do we now." He said tentatively, sitting back in the chair and groaning from the pain that shot up his back.

"Yes. We do. Within the span of five minutes you told me you loved me, you wanted to sleep with me, be in a relationship, and that you've thought of marrying me before. Then I get told that one of my ovaries is gone and that my chances of getting pregnant are now much slimmer than before. That's a lot to take in, don't you think."

"I'm sorry Clara…I…I got carried away." He apologized sheepishly.

"If you had stuck around I would have been able to say that I love you too and yes…I want a relationship with you as well. Also I could have really used you as comfort and support learning I've lost an ovary."

"I'm sorry about that, it broke my hearts when they told me what they were going to have to do and I've been up all night- wait…go back." The Doctor said, his eyes sparking with recognition. "Repeat the first part of that sentence."

Clara smiled and said, "I love you Doctor. I want a relationship with you too."

A broad smile overtook his face and his eyes lit up with joy. She laughed at how his body language had changed and then immediately regretted doing so with a string of 'ow's'. The Doctor put his coffee cup down, and unable to contain himself he framed her face in his hands and planted a kiss on her lips. Clara sent her IV-free hand into his hair and held his head against hers, moving her lips with his, tasting what she had previously only ever dreamt of. She could taste the coffee and red bull mix on his lips and she wondered how they could be so soft and delicious. Their kiss was tender and languid, there was no beginning and no end it seemed. She could have stayed in that one moment forever but unfortunately…oxygen was actually something she needed to survive and her lungs were now sorely lacking; the Doctor had taken it from her, and yet what he'd given her in return far outweighed what was taken. She'd gladly give him every last breath in her body.

XxxxXXxxxXXxxxX

 **Two Days Later**

As Clara was signing and going over her release forms with the doctor, her Doctor was by her side as he had been for every moment she'd been awake, holding her hand. When the last of the papers were signed and instructions on how he, as her husband, needed to take care of her, they made their way to the pharmacy to pick up her medication. The Doctor kept his arm around her shoulders as support as she walked. Her body was sore and walking was what aggravated her muscles and caused her pain. Luckily, she still had pain meds coursing through her veins so the pain was minimal. Keeping up the pretense that they were married in order for the Doctor to accompany her 24/7 had become almost as easy as breathing now that they were in an officially declared relationship. They could have public displays of affection like kissing, but according to Debbie, it was the way they both looked at each other when the other wasn't looking that had convinced all the other nurses and doubters that they were married.

As they waited to be called up, (Seriously, how long did Americans have to wait to be seen just to put in their prescription?! They'd already been sitting a half hour.) The Doctor kept his hand in Clara's and rubbed a thumb over the sore skin that an IV had occupied for the better part of three days. Finally they heard their number get called and The Doctor went up in her place with her ID.

"Hi, I'm here to get a prescription for my wife. The name is Clara Oswald." He said passing the ID of Clara off to the clerk. "My name is John Oswald." He supplied for him as he showed the psychic paper. For the first time there was no push back against the authenticity of his claim.

The clerk handed him back the ID and psychic paper and said, "We'll call you back up when it's ready." Before looking back at his computer. The Doctor took that as a dismissal and went back over to Clara.

"So?" She asked.

"More waiting." He replied with a cynical smile.

"How do Americans deal with this?" She groaned. "I just want to go home."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do to make you more comfortable?"

"Actually…" She said before leaning in to whisper in his ear. "The guy to our right hasn't stopped looking at me so if you could do something to let him know I'm yours so he stops undressing me with his eyes, that would be great."

The Doctor felt his hairs bristle at the mention of a leering pudding brain. He glanced to his right and sure enough he saw the man shamelessly staring at Clara, licking his lips. No doubt the man thought she was the Doctor's daughter.

The Doctor quickly formulated something in his mind then whispered, "Play along", before speaking just a little too loudly. "I knew we shouldn't have left our wedding bands at home. Everyone kept getting the wrong idea and questioning me about the validity of our marriage. The audacity that some of these pudding brains have to think you were anything but my beautiful wife just leaves me gob smacked." He finished off his melodramatic scene by punctuating it with a kiss that some would consider shameful for the current environment.

Clara, however, had no qualms and happily let the Doctor have his way with her mouth. If it meant things running smoother in the process for them and silencing every pre-mature judgment, then it was a win-win-win situation. Having the Doctor kiss her in such a way almost made her whimper with uncontrolled desire. When he finally broke away Clara glanced to her right and noticed the man had stopped leering at her.

She patted his cheek appreciatively and left a brief kiss of thanks on the Doctor's lips, her eyes sparkling for no one but him. She felt warm all over from her Doctor's intimate show of affection, but that also could have been the medicine. Clara however, knew that her heart fluttering had been a product of what could only be her handsome, soon-to-be lover, and pretend husband.

After getting Clara's medicine they'd had to stop for a bite to eat so she could take her medicine…and of course get that pizza they'd specifically come to New York for.

"You know…", Clara said as they ate the dessert they'd gotten for free, (The Doctor had regaled the man with the tale of how they'd come from London to celebrate their fifth anniversary only for Clara to have a near death experience and wind up in the hospital for three days, and so the waiter had generously gotten them a couple cannoli's.) "this whole being married to you thing has its perks."

The Doctor laughed and shook his head, "Free dessert is a perk?"

"Oh absolutely. Never doubt the power of a treat dearest husband of mine…John Oswald." She grinned, before taking another bite of the homemade cannoli.

"I'll kept that in mind dearest wife of mine." He parroted.

It was hours later when they finally got back to the TARDIS, and Clara was completely wiped. The Doctor took her to his own bedroom and helped her get settled in. Clara changed into a large tee of his and the Doctor kept his back turned as promised. He had refused to leave the room on the chance that Clara may suddenly fall or faint and need his help. He helped her get comfortable and just as he was going to sit in his leather chair not far away and do some reading, Clara reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Please stay with me. I want to fall asleep with you right beside me." The Doctor seemed to struggle for just a second before ultimately getting in bed beside her. How could he deny her something that he also secretly wanted?

She cuddled up into his arms and he held her securely, mindful of her abdomen. Clara placed her head on his chest and breathed in a happy sigh, closing her eyes. "I think one day I'd like to be married to you for real." She mumbled as her mind began to drift to sleep.

"I think I'd like that." He replied with a soft smile and a flutter in his chest. "We'll talk more when you're awake. Go to sleep my Clara." With a gentle kiss pressed to her head Clara soon fell asleep, happy and content in the Doctor's loving arms and he did the same.

 **XxxxXXxxxEndxxxXXxxxX**


End file.
